Breech-closure.



M. HERMSDORP.

BREEGH CLOSURE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED MAR. 9, 1908.

9 32, O 7, Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. HERMSDORF.

BREEGH CLOSUREx APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1908 Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T QPA r onion.

MAX HERMSDORF, 0F ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUPP AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

BREECH-CLOSUBE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Max HERMSDORF, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a, resident of Essen on the Ruhr, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in- Breech-Closures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to breech closures of that type in which the opening movement of the breech block comprises a displacement in a direction transverse to the axis of the gun and then a swinging movement.

The invention consists in a breech closure of this kind, in which the breech block is movable in a guide in a carrier hinged to the base of the gun barrel, which guide extends transverse to the axis of the bore when the breech is closed.

In the accompanying drawings, which disclose one embodiment of the invention by way of illustration, Figure 1 is a rear view of the closed and locked breech closure; Fig. 2 is a section of the line 22 of Fig. l, seen from the left; Fig. 3 is a section taken in part on the line 33 and in part on the line 8 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. t is a view corresponding to Fig. 3, in which the parts are shown in the positions which they assume immediately after the unlocking of the breech closure; Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3, with the breech completely opened; and Figs. 6 to 9 are detail views.

The closure of the breech opening is attained through the medium of a breech block D, the main body of which comprises a semi cylindrical portion (Z and an integral stepped portion d (Fig. 8). The offset of the portion 6Z2 extends from the semi-cylindrical portion (Z outward. The essentially cylindrical breech of the gun barrel, is provided with a recess a (Figs. 5 and 7) for the breech block D. This recess conforms to the breech block and is open toward the left and rear. The breech block D carries a closing face (i of such curvature that when the breech is closed (see particularly Figs. 1 and 8) the cylindrical surface of the gun barrel breech is complete. To permit of an interlocking of the breech block with the gun barrel breech, the semi-cylindrical portion (Z of the breech block, as well as its offset portion (P, are provided with ribs {Z while the corresponding walls of the recess a of the gun barrel breech are provided with grooves a to receive the ribs (Z*. The grooves a and ribs (i run in I such a manner that the breech block D may be interlocked with and disengaged from the gun barrel breech by means of a sliding movement transverse to the axis of the bore (see particularly F ig. 7). The extent of this transverse movement necessary to interlock or disengage the breech block and the breech, is slight owing to the described stepped formation of the breech block.

The breech block D is slidingly mounted in a carrier C (see also Fig. 9) which is hinged through a bolt J at the right side of the gun barrelbreech. The general form of the carrier C is that of a disk and said carrier is provided with a guide 0 (Figs. 1, 2 and 9) for a slide piece d projecting from the rear face of the breech block. The guide 0 lies transversely to the axis of the bore when the breech is closed. From the described arrangement of the gun barrel breech A, the breech block D, and the carrier C, it follows that the breech block must be slid in the direction away from the hinge bolt J of the carrier C, for unlocking the breech. This movement leaves a space between the slide piece d of the breech block and that wall a of the guide 0 which lies toward the hinge bolt J. To cover this space, the slide piece d is provided with a portion cl which spreads over the outer surface of the carrier G. This portion d engages the sides of the guide 0 and consequently serves the further purpose of holding the breech block in the carrier 0.

For sliding the breech block D relatively to the carrier C, the thrust lever G G is swingingly fulcrumed upon a bolt F between eyes 0 arranged upon the outer face of the carrier C. The arm G of the thrust lever engages in a recess 0 (Figs. 2, 3 and 9) of the carrier C and stands in engagement, through the medium of a stud 9 (Figs. 2 to 4) on its underside, with a curved thrust groove d of the breech block. The curved groove al is cut into a ledge (Z on the breech block, which ledge is integral with the slide piece (F. The arrangement of the curved groove (Z is so determined that its walls (61 and (Z with which the stud g cooperates in the interlocking'of the breech block, lie perpendicular to the direction in which the breech block is slid relatively to the carrier. The curved groove (Z is further provided with a wall (Z which, when the breech is interlocked (see particularly Fig. 8), lies con- Fig. 3.

Fig. 2).

centric with the'axis of rotationof the'thrust lever and against this wall (Z the study impinges avith a correspondingly inclined face, when the thrust lever G G resumes its position of rest indicated by full lines in At this time, the thrust lever arm G is supported against a wall (Figs. 8 and ,4) o'fithe. recess c providedin the carrier C. This wall limits the displacement of the thrust lever in one direction. In the other lever isiliniited by a wall 0 of the recess 0 "In the under portion of the carrier C is slidingly mounted a bolt "H (see particularly 'VVhile the breech is closed, this bolt, under'the influence of a springh im pinges against both the face of the gun barrelgbree'ch A and against the breech block D. For this boltH, a recessd (see particularly Fig. 8) is provided in the semi-cylindrical portion (Z of the. breech block. The bolt can spring into this seat, at'ter the breech block has executed the necessary sliding movement to unlock it from the gun barrel breech, and thecarrier'has been swung away from the breech.

jln a ,recess a (Figs. 3 and 5) of the breech, a shell extractor E is swingingly mounted upon a. vertical bolt'B. "This extractor carries a protruding end 6 which coparts assume the position shown in Figs'l to-f3. The ribsa of the breech block are in engagement with the grooves a of the gun barreljhreech. The stud of the thrust leyeraam G lies against the wall-d of the curved thrust groove 1Z so: that the'breech blockin the same manner as the wedge of the well 'known thrustlever wedge closure, is secured against an unintentional displacement.

In order to open "the breech, the thrust lever arm G isjthrown in the direction or the arrow 00 i(F '3) "This movement causes'first the movement of the stud 9 out of engagement with the wall (Z of the curved thrust-groove d compare the dot and dash line-position of'the'thrust, lever shown in Rye .t'urtherqswinging of the thrust lever, the .breech'block willbe slid in the direction ofthe arrow 3 (Fig. 3) in consequence of the cooperation of the stud g with the wall "(Z of the curvedthrust groove (1 When the thrust lever arm Gr reachesaa position against the wall 0* of the recess c .(Fig. 4), the ribs fd and grooves clthave become disengaged from each other. Simultaneously the seat has reached a position opposite the bolt 'H. "But since the lower portion of the-bolt stillremains against the gunibarrel breech A,'the bolt cannot yet enter the seat (Z A continuation of the thrust on the lever G, in the direction of the arrow ;r, will have the effect of swinging the carrier C-toget-her with the breech block,

upon the hinge bolt J. Immediately after the commencement of this swinging movement of the carrier C, the bolt H, having nowlost its impingement upon the gun barrel breech piece, enters, under the pressure of its spring E, into the seat (Z so that the the projection c of the extractor- E, so that the latter is drawn outward: and withdraws the cartridge shell. Through the impinge ment of the extractor E against. thewalls'oi of the recess G the swinging movement of the extractor and through it. that of the carrier C, is limited. At this moment the parts occupy the positions shown inFig.

In closing the breech, the several steps above described follow in revers-eorder.

The breech closure herein describedpossesses in common with the wedge breech closure, the advantage that in closing the breech, the pin of the striker orfiring pin stands opposite to the primer of the cartridge only aft-er the breech is locked. Furthermore, in case of emergency, the breech block can be disabled by a blow directed against the ;part (Z of the slide pieced. Furthermore, the described breech closure makes it possible to load with ease as inthe case of the wedge breech closure, since the recess (.0 provided for the breech block in the, gun barrel breech is open on two sides.

'llhebreechclosure forming the subject or the present invention possesses the advantage in common with the screw closure,that-the breech of the gun barrel may be constructed in cylindrical form and need not project beyond the breech block in the longitudinal direction of the gun barrel. r

f Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured byrLetters Patent is:

' 1. A, gun having a breech closure comprising a pivotally mounted carrier for closing the rear openingin the breech, and a breech block mounted on said carrier and slidable thereon horizontally and transverselyto the axis of the gun .to fill the breech.

2. In a [breech closure, a slotted carrier pivotally mounted upon the base of the gun and slotted horizontally andtransverselvto the axis thereof, and a breech block provided with a ,projection fitting within said slot whereby said'breech block slides, on the carrier, horizontally and transversely .to theaxis of the gun.

'3."In agun closure, the combinationof the gun-barrel breech, and'the breech-block, constructed to permitthe breechblock to Lao slide in a direction transverse to the axis of the bore, into and out of closed position in the breech, interengaging ribs and grooves by which the breech block and walls of the breech engage when the breech block is in closedposition, and a swinging carrier lying transversely to the axis of the bore when the breech is closed, constructed with a guide in which the breech-block is slidingly mounted.

4:. In a breech-closure, opened by a combined transverse and swing movement, a pivotally mounted carrier, and a breech block mounted to slide transversely on said carrier; the sliding movement which unlocks the breech-bolt being in a direction away from the center about which the carrier swings.

5. In a. breech-closure, opened by a combined transverse and swing movement, a pivotally mounted carrier, and a breechblock mounted to slide transversely on said carrier; the sliding movement which unlocks the breech-bolt being in a direction away from the center about which the carrier swings, and said carrier having a lever that engages the breech-block to unlock it, the operating end of which lever swings when unlocking the block, in the direction to impart swinging movement to the carrier after the block is unlocked.

6. In a breech closure opening and closing by combined sliding and swinging movements, the combination or" the swinging car rier, the breech-block mounted to slide transversely on the carrier, the lever adapted to impart the sliding and swinging movements in the order in which they occur in opening and closing the breech, and a bolt interlocking the carrier and breech block at the end of the blocks opening sliding movement.

'7. In a breech closure having an opening sliding and swinging movement, and a closing swinging and sliding movement, the combination of the swinging carrier, the breech-block mounted. to slide transversely in the carrier, and the locking device interlocking the block with the carrier at the end of the blocks opening sliding movement, and automatically displaced by the closing swinging movement, to release the breechblock and permit itto receive its closing sliding movement.

8. In a breech closure having an opening sliding and swinging movement, and a closing swinging and sliding movement, the combination of the swinging carrier, the breech block mounted to slide transversely in the carrier, and the locking device inter locking the block with the carrier at the end of the blocks opening sliding movement, and automatically displaced by the closing swinging movement, to release the breechblock and permit it to receive its closing sliding movement; said locking device comprising .a bolt movably mounted in the carrier and-enteringa seat in the breech-block, but abutting the base of the gun-barrel when the carrier is in closed position.

9. The combination with a gun provided with a horizontally and laterally opening breech;-of a breech block slidable into and out of said breech; and a carrier upon which said block is slidably mounted, said carrier being swingingly mounted upon the base of the gun.

10. A gun having a breech closure opened by a combined sliding and swinging movement, provided with a lateral opening in the base of the gun-barrel and-a swinging car rierfor the breech-block pivoted on that side of the gun-barrel away from said lateral opening, said opening being adapted to permit a transverse movement of the carrier with the breech-block.

11. A gun having a breech-closure opened by a combined sliding and swinging move ment in a direction horizontally and transversely to the axis of the gun, said breech closure comprising a flat slotted disk swinging about one edge and a breech block slidingly mounted in the slot.

12. In a breech closure, the combination with a disk-shaped carrier adapted to swing to and from the butt end of the gun; of a breech-block constructed with locking ofisets arranged in steps extending transverse of the axis of the gun, said block being slidably mounted upon said carrier in such manner as to adapt it to slide into and out of locking relation with the breech and to be swung away from the breech when unlocked therefrom.

13. In a gunbarrel breech-closure opening by a combined sliding and swinging movement, a breech-block transversely slidable on a pivotally mounted carrier and constructed with an essentially semicylindrical body portion, and an offset or stepped portion extending therefrom and increasing in dimension outward.

l i. In a gun barrel breech closure, the combination with the cylindrical base of the barrel having a laterally opening breech provided with looking grooves extending transverse to the bore of the gun; a breech block provided with ribs corresponding to said grooves, said block being thus adapted to be slid into and out of locked relation to said breech and constructed with an outer curved surface conforming to and completing the cylindrical form of the gun-barrel when the breech is closed; and a swinging" arm upon which said breech-block is slidably mounted.

15. In a gun-barrel breech-closure, a breech provided with a stepped lateral opening and with grooves transverse to the bore of the gun, a breech-block constructed to fit ping the rear face of the carrier and prosaid breech and provided with ribs whereby it is adapted to slide into locked relation With the breech; a carrier plate hinged at one edge to the base of the gun; and means for slidably mounting the breech-block upon said carrier plate.

16. In a breech closure, the combination of the carrier constructed With a slide-Way and a breech block constructed With a reduced portion fitting said slide-Way and an enlargement on said reduced portion overlapping the rear face of the carrier.

17. In a breech-closure the combination of the carrier constructed With a slide-Way and a breechblock constructed With a reduced portion fitting said slide-Way, and an enlargement on said reduced portion overlapport-ioned to cover the inner end of the slide- 1 Way, when the breech-block extension is in the outer end thereof. I

18. In a gun having a breech closure opened by a combined sliding and swinging movement, the combination of the pivotally mounted carrier, the breech -bl0ck slidably supported by the carrier, the operating lever fulcrumed on the carrier and having controlling engagement With the breech-block and the extractor engaged by the carrier When in opened position.

The foregoing specification signed at Dusseldorf, Germany, this 7th day of January, 1.908.

' MAX HERMSDORF.

In presence of PETER LIEBER, VVILHELM FLASCHE. 

